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Your Comments Needed: Black Butte River Tributaries At Risk

Wild and Scenic Black Butte River courtesy of California Wilderness Coalition

The Mendocino National Forest has released the Environmental Analysis for Plaskett-Keller August Complex Fire Phase 1 Recovery Project. Please act now to protect these recovering ecosystems. There are over 2,000 acres at stake from post-fire logging in the Wild and Scenic Black Butte watershed, a major tributary to the Eel River southeast of Covelo.

A majority of the project would take live green trees and snags. The Plaskett-Keller project has been reduced dramatically since scoping and now includes 944 acres of straight up “salvage” and 1,220 acres of roadside hazard logging. All acres would be ground-based logging systems, which includes over 2 miles of “temporary” road construction. Nearly the entire area has a high soil erosion hazard. According to the Hydrology Report, all of the creeks are over the Threshold of Concern. Further, the Black Butte River is already listed as impaired for sediment under the Clean Water Act and has been designated as a Key Watershed critical for salmon survival!

In short, the Mendocino National Forest claims that logging slash, waterbars, ripping skid trails, and “temporary” roads would cure any possible erosion and that it needs to cut big live trees and snags to make the project economically viable. Logging and road construction in these sensitive watersheds would take place in riparian reserves, on closed roads, around Keller Lake and Snow Basin and throughout Plaskett meadows.

Let the Forest Service know that you value clean water and healthy ecosystems over economics. Fill out and personalize the comment form below!

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Background Photo By David Brossard, Flickr.

Supervisor Carlson and Ranger Aebly

Subject: Plaskett-Keller August Complex Fire Phase 1 Recovery Project

Message:

I deeply value naturally recovering snag forests and clean water, especially in Key watersheds, which require the highest priority for restoration. The Plaskett-Keller project would only worsen the impacts of the August Complex. The Black Butte River is sediment impaired under the Clean Water Act and its tributaries are already over the threshold of concern. I am strongly opposed to widespread ground based logging, road construction, opening closed roads, cutting live trees and snags on these sensitive soils and within riparian reserves for a short impulse of monetary gain. Spreading logging slash throughout the project area may only increase flammable conditions. Slash, ripping, and waterbars certainly do not make up for all the harm that heavy equipment would do to the soil and the erosion it would cause. Please do not cut down living trees, especially around Plaskett Meadows Campground. These trees are providing much needed habitat and shade. Myself and likely all forest visitors would greatly appreciate the retention of these survivors. Please protect riparian reserves, the 50 foot no-equipment zone is far from adequate. Forgo new road construction, especially those proposed in Units 26, 29, 32, 33 around the meadows, the lengthy road in Unit 340 in the Cold Creek watershed, and Units 13 and 272 that are adjacent to riparian reserves. Instead of constructing and opening closed roads I urge you to include removing roads from this Wild and Scenic, sediment impaired, key watershed in your decision. Please let the rivers, streams, and water quality continue to recover. Thank you for your consideration.

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Environmental Information Protection Center (EPIC) is a tax-exempt non-profit organization, under the section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code, and therefore all charitable donations are deductible to the full extent allowed by law.

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